GUEST COLUMN
RR Bharati
From the golden stick of Dhyan Chand to ‘flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh, if we just rewind a bit and look back at the cinematic discourse of Indian cinema in past decade movies such as Lagaan, Mary Kom, Pan Singh Tomar, Bhag Milkha Bhag, Chak de India, Panaga- all these have just one common story backdrop which relates to rural India which appears to be the powerhouse of sports.
Once known as the ‘Golden Girl’ of Indian sports-PT Usha, ace Indian boxer, MC Mary Kom, the Phogat sisters, gymnast-Dipa Karmakar, sprinter Hima Das all of them have come up to the victory podium from rural India or either from small towns. This is the reflection of diversity and scope of sporting talent in India that lives in villages. Those days are gone when people used to say, “Padhoge likhoge banoge nawab, kheloge kudoge banoge kharab”. Recent social media campaigns such as #HumFitTohIndiaFit etc have really helped in making sports more trendy as well as fitness oriented.
If we look at the Indian surge in getting medals in conventional sports like Kabaddi, athletics, wrestling, weightlifting and boxing in international sporting events such as Olympics, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games this also testifies to the penetration of sporting culture in far flung villages of the country. I would just like to substantiate this with one of my personal experiences when from July 27 to August 2 in 2013, I had the privilege of leading the Indian contingent in the second Asian Archery Grand Prix at Mongolia wherein most of the players (archers) were from tribal areas or from rural India.
The trend of investing in sports as a serious career option rather than just a hobby which has emerged over these years can potentially be a game changer. Today, just on the basis of their sporting talent sports people can earn a dignified livelihood. Scope for government service on the basis of sports quota is enhanced and even many private sector organisations are promoting the hiring of talent based on sporting credentials.
Apart from direct governmental interventions, bodies such as Army Sports Control Board (ASCB), Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) and Power Sports Control Board (PSCB) among others have also redefined and reinvented themselves and are contributing innovatively to the promotion of sports in their own sectors. From time to time they organise sporting events at various levels all across the country which is helping in deeper penetration of sporting spirit at the grass root level.
One of the possible way-out in strengthening the sporting infrastructure in rural areas is by actively involving PSUs under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) interventions. As sports are directly related to health and physical fitness, it also serves the wider public interest and PSUs can be more proactive in funding sporting interventions under CSR budget. Development of sports can be a prudent CSR tool for PSUs which will also help them in innovative stakeholders’ interface.
Though, Indian sports have come up a long way but still there are many challenges facing this sphere. The recent one to keep in mind is sports with social distancing in the post Covid scenario. In a largely populated country like India the task becomes all the more challenging.
(The writer was the finance director of BRICS U-17 football tournament, Goa)
Monday, 01 February 2021 | RR Bharati | Dehradun
